The present invention generally relates to vehicle door systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to vehicle door systems having a compact and easily packaged window regulator unit wherein the window regulator and window are preassembled to an upper portion of the vehicle door that is subsequently assembled to a lower portion of the vehicle door.
Various arrangements of automotive window regulator and drive arrangements have been developed over the years. These arrangements vary widely from complex lever arm and gear configurations to rack-and-pinion and cable-and-drum type drive arrangements. Most of these arrangements employ numerous parts, which collectively consume a large volume in the vehicle door, which tends to inhibit the ease with which the regulator is packaged into an application.
Another drawback associated with many of the known window regulating arrangements concerns the ease with which they are integrated into several vehicle models. It is not uncommon for several of the components of a window regulating arrangement to differ for each application on a vehicle, on each model of a vehicle and/or between vehicle types, necessitating additional cost associated with the design, manufacture and stocking of a plurality of similarly designed window regulators.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an automotive window regulator which is relatively compact in nature and which may be easily integrated into a vehicular application without consuming a large amount of volume. There also remains a need in the art for an automotive window regulator, which may be adapted for use on a variety of applications without extensive variation. There also remains a need in the art for a method for fabricating a vehicle door that fully utilizes the advantages of a compact window regulator unit to improve produce the vehicle door in a more efficient manner.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a vehicle closure member. The method includes the steps of: providing a discrete lower door structure that is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle body and movable between a first position and a second position that substantially clears the door aperture; providing a discrete upper door structure having a pair of spaced apart frame rails that define a window aperture; installing a window member between the frame rails; installing a window regulator to the window and the upper door structure, the window regulator being operable for moving the window between a closed position substantially closing the window aperture and an open position at least partially clearing the window aperture; and coupling the lower and upper door structures to one another after the step of installing the window regulator.
In another preferred form, the present invention provides a closure member for substantially closing the door aperture. The closure member includes a lower door structure, an upper door structure, a window member and a regulator mechanism. The lower door structure is configured to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle body and movable between a first position and a second position substantially clearing the door aperture. The upper door structure includes a pair of spaced apart frame rails that define a window aperture. The window member is disposed between the frame rails and movable relative to the frame rails between a closed position substantially closing the window aperture and an open position at least partially clearing the window aperture. The window regulator is coupled to the window member and the upper door structure and includes a pair of attachment brackets and a drive arrangement. The attachment brackets are coupled to the window member and spaced apart in a direction that is transverse to a direction in which the window member travels. The drive arrangement includes a pair of racks and a pair of drive assemblies, with each of the racks having a plurality of rack teeth and being fixedly coupled to an associated one of the frame rails. Each of the drive assemblies has a housing and a pinion gear that is rotatably coupled to the housing and the housing is coupled to an associated one of the attachment brackets. The pinion gear engages the rack teeth of an associated one of the racks and rotates in response to a rotary input to selectively translate the attachment brackets relative to the frame rails.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.